In Odesa, a contractor was charged with embezzlement

Police investigators have notified the 41-year-old director of an Odesa-based contracting company that he is suspected of embezzling a particularly large sum of money and of preparing knowingly false official documents. 

Accordingtothe press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, investigators established that in 2023, the Capital Construction Department of the Odessa City Council and a construction company entered into a contract for the demolition of one of the city’s properties—a non-residential building.

The total cost of the work, according to the documents, amounted to over 16 million hryvnias. Since the contract did not provide for compensation to the contractor for rising material costs, the director decided to include false information in the certificates of completion.

Between July and September 2023, he systematically inflated the cost of the work—including the removal of asphalt concrete and crushed stone pavement, the hauling of debris, and the dismantling of panels—and personally signed the relevant documents. In this way, the company received payment for the work performed. As a result of these actions, the local community suffered damages exceeding 2 million hryvnias.

In addition, the court is already hearing an indictment against the head of one of the departments of the City Council’s Capital Construction Department. He is accused of official negligence. 

The official was responsible for technical supervision of the work at the specified site. However, he failed to verify that the scope of the work performed complied with the design and cost estimate documentation and regulatory requirements. As a result, funds were unjustifiably transferred from the budget.

Кирило Бойко